Thrive

Who is Thrive for?

Thrive is for any married couple who wants to improve their relationship—from those who have a great marriage and want to keep it great to those who are struggling and can’t seem to get back on track. Whether you’ve been married one year or 40, Thrive is for you. You don’t even have to be a church attendee to join.

Thrive is not for:

Spouses considering hiring an attorney or actively discussing divorce
Marriages where physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological abuse is present
Marriages where addiction is present
Marriages where there has been a recent disclosure of an affair (six months or less)

If Thrive is not for you, we recommend seeking professional counseling. Visit our Counseling Referral Site for assistance in finding a trusted counselor.

What topics are covered and what curriculum is used?

Thrive is a curriculum developed by North Point Ministries just for these groups. Topics include:

How can we better communicate and resolve conflict?
What is marriage “supposed” to look like?
How can I feel safe sharing with my spouse what’s on my mind?
What are emotional needs and how do they work?
How does my history (family, dating, etc.) affect my marriage?
How do we improve intimacy in our marriage?
How do we work through the damage we’ve already done?

Who leads these groups?

Groups are led by trained mentor couples who have personally benefitted from Thrive and want to give back. They are not just passionate about marriage—they are passionate about your marriage.

Where do we meet and for how long?

Most groups meet in the leaders’ home. Groups are eight weeks long and meet for about two hours once a week.

Do we both need to attend?

Yes. Thrive will work best if husbands and wives attend together. However, if there is a week or two that only one of you is able to attend, that will not be a problem.

What should we expect each week?

There are three components of Thrive: the group meeting (described above), individual reading and questions (15–30 minutes per week), and couple time (15–30 minutes per week). Individual and couple time are to be scheduled with your spouse between group meetings. During these times, you will begin to create the new habits that will continue to sustain and grow your marriage once the eight weeks are over.

What’s the difference between Thrive and marriage counseling?

Thrive is an eight-week small group in which you and your spouse will receive support and encouragement from your leaders and the other participant couples. You will be given tools to improve your marriage, and you’ll learn how to establish healthy habits that will help you grow closer as a couple.

A counselor possesses a higher level of expertise and training than our volunteer couples. Counseling is a better choice for a couple if there is a high level of conflict, trauma, addiction, or mental illness present in the marriage. Counseling is also customizable based on the specific needs of the couple. If you think counseling is a
better step for you, visit the Counseling Referrals website to receive a personalized referral.